Pickleball is much like the “ Wild West ” right now . The industry is growing at a rapid pace with headlines written daily about new community pickleball courts being built in every corner of the country . Celebrities and top-name athletes are staking their claim in the sport , and partnerships are forming — both big and small — all for the love of pickleball .
Pickleball Magazine publisher and LevelUp Pickleball Camps owner Wayne Dollard has already made his mark in the industry . His vision for a premier instructional pickleball camp has been experienced by more than 10,000 across the country for almost six years . And his roster of more than 50 medal-winning pros and assistants have helped LevelUp gain a following by the new and repeat customers of his camps .
“ We have mastered the art of pickleball camp instruction ,” says Dollard . “ Our camps have grown by more than 50 percent in the past two years and our customer base by almost 70 percent . So , it seemed inevitable that we needed to spread our wings to meet the demands
of our growing international customer base .”
In 2023 , LevelUp Pickleball is going overseas to Barcelona , Spain , in May , and Turks and Caicos Islands in December .
Dollard and his wife , Lisa , will spearhead the international camp instruction . Both are US Open 50 + National Mixed Champions , US Open Doubles Champions , and USA Pickleball tour pros . The destination camps include 12 hours of pickleball instruction , seven nights of lodging , five-star meals and many fun excursions .
In Barcelona , campers will stay at a five-star hotel . Pre-scheduled transportation will take them from the hotel to the courts and back , 9:30 a . m . to 12:30 p . m ., four days of the seven-day camp . Also included are guided tours of the Gaudi Museum , Salvador Dali Museum , and the City of Barcelona . A trip to Montserrat Monastery and a winery tour and tasting in Penedes are part of the adventure , too . ( Meals are not included in the price of the Barcelona camp ).
The Turks and Caicos Islands location was selected for campers who love the beach as much as they love pickleball . Held at Club Med Turks and Caicos , campers will be treated to an all-inclusive sevennight stay , 12 hours of pickleball instruction , other meals , drinks , fun evenings together and plenty of beach time .
“ We are really looking forward to our international camps this year ,” says Dollard . “ We want to bring a very personalized camp experience to those joining us and also take in the culture , food and atmosphere of these beautiful cities and resorts .”
Britt Fresa is a freelance writer and the director of LevelUp Pickleball Camps .
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2023 | MAGAZINE 37